State of the Adventure

This party is going to be the death of me, but here we are! At long last, here is Part 2 of Session 3 of Archipelago Adventures! I’m going to make this a three-parter since it’s starting to get pretty long. We didn’t run last Friday due to Valentine’s Day, so we’re not behind yet!

I am also pleased to announce that our group has a new addition! I will be drawing and introducing him here very soon!

Vin Hits the Books

The library is quiet, yet bustling when Vin arrives. She’s spent enough time in these warm and scholarly halls to know where most things are, even the newspaper clippings, even though she doesn’t visit them often. The clippings are a bit messy, but they are in order from oldest to newest roughly, with the oldest dating back a few hundred years.

Vin spends the allotted hour looking through the newspaper clippings for something about Harlow, be it his crimes or other information that could give them an idea of who they are dealing with, but there’s not much there. Harlow simply isn’t big enough in the criminal world in order to have any yet. However, Vin does finds a news article about Gavin, the scrawny farmer the party encountered previously. According to the article, he had been found dead three months prior. At first, foul play was suspected, but it was quickly ruled an accident despite the protests of his family. “That,” Vin muses aloud, “is very interesting…”

Vin checks out the newspaper clipping and brings it back to the party.

The Party Returns to the Snuggly Duckling

The party reconvenes at the Snuggly Duckling and enter the safe room that Sadie had set aside in order to talk and exchange information. Armstrong is the last to arrive, having changed out of her fancy clothes and into her regular sorcerer robes before entering the safe room.

Armstrong talks about the blackmail and explains that someone really wants the land that the old church is on because it’s important to their re-election. “There’s probably a bigger fish out there,” she says. “Even if we get rid of him, we’d probably be kicking a bigger hornet’s nest so we’ll need to be ready. And, well, even the mayor might be involved!”

Vilkas shakes his head. “The pit grows ever deeper…” he mumbles bitterly. He adjusts his hide armor, which he had donned while waiting for Armstrong, feeling as though it might be needed.

“He might even have all the guards in his pocket.”

“Who? Our mystery man?”

“Whoever this mystery person it?”

Armstrong shrugs. “Must be, because there’s no way an everyday thug can do something like that. Whoever this is, they must be pretty big and their pockets are deep.”

“From what I know of Harlow, he has some people listening to him, but he’s nowhere near a big fish…”

“Yeah, someone’s using him for something interesting…”

Vilkas hums in agreement before turning to Vin. “Vin? Did you find anything out?”

“I did…” Vin takes a deep breath. “So, Gavin. We all remember who he is?”

“I don’t know who Gavin is,” Armstrong replies.

“Right, well…” Vin looks over to Thallan and Vilkas. “The three of us, remember him, yes? He’s dead. He died months ago.”

The room falls silent for a moment as the party comes to terms with this information. Vin continues. “Whoever we’ve been speaking with is not the same person.”

“Huh…” Vilkas shakes his head in disbelief. “Well that… Who was this … Gavin, then? Why would … some kid be impersonating him and pretending to owe Harlow money of all things?”

“Gavin was just a simple farmer trying to support his parents. I don’t know…” Vin shakes her head. “Maybe land rights? I really don’t know. He…” A saddened look forms on Vin’s face. “He had a wife and a child on the way.”

“Well $@#%…” Vilkas swallows hard. “Well… I… I can’t imagine they wouldn’t get any far with land rights or inheritance because he’s officially dead and he has family.”

“Maybe it’s insurance fraud?” Vin offers.

“Or someone needs a convenient name,” Armstrong adds. “Sometimes if you need to come up with something you pull it from the papers. I’ve done that before.”

Releoch, who had been sitting quietly in a chair, pipes up. “Or it could be necromancy and he’s actually dead and they could be using his corpse as a… You know… A tool for something worse?”

Armstrong shakes her head. “No, it’s got to be a fake name.”

“I’m more inclined to believe insurance fraud,” Vin says.

“Then how does a simple farmer wind up in league with a thug with powerful connections? How did the thug and the big guy even meet each other and wind up blackmailing the guards?”

“We don’t know that for certain,” Vilkas replies.

“Could also be twins,” Releloch offers.

“Again,” Armstrong begins, “the paper would have noted that twin as a survivor.”

“A secret twin?” Vin asks.

“I mean, I occasionally take the name of dead people occasionally,” Armstrong sighs, earning her a look from Vilkas. “Why do you think I go by Armstrong?”

“You mean your name hasn’t been passed down the Armstrong family for generations?” Vin gasps.

“Absolutely it was! What made you think otherwise? We orcs are simple people! We don’t have those fancy long names!”

“Right…” Vilkas holds up his hand. “Well, I have half a mind to find this Gavin and figure out what exactly is going on.”

“That’s one way to get answers,” Vin says in reply.

“Especially if we’re about to have a talk with some of Harlow’s goons and Harlow himself,” Vilkas adds.

“Where are we even meeting this guy anyway?” Armstrong asks.

“We’re supposed to meet a kobold over at the Twisted Beaver.”

“Well, I suggest that whoever is good at blending in hangs back a little bit, still in the inn but listening in.”

Vilkas nods. “Well, the only people that weren’t there were Releoch and you. I think that means you.” He looks to Releoch. “No offense.”

“I’m good at blending in,” Thallan offers.

“But they’ve seen you. You’ll be recognized. Not to mention you’re the one who got us this meeting.”

“…true.”

“And by the way, the context here is, well, we’re trying to get a job, so we’ll see how that goes.”

“Getting a job in this society is whack,” Releoch chimes in.

“What kind of job?” Armstrong asks.

“I don’t know,” Vilkas replies. “Probably muscle.”

Vin raises her hand slightly. “Question. If we’re going into a meeting with a dangerous person that we don’t know much about, and a person who claimed to have worked with him — or I guess was conned by him — is claiming the name of a dead man, maybe we should talk to the dead man first and figure out what’s going on?”

“I’m inclined to agree,” Vilkas replies.

“When do we have to meet the kobold?” Armstrong asks.

“He said anytime. That was a couple hours ago. We’re probably pushing it.”

“But they’re both at the same bar, aren’t they?” Vin asks.

“That’s the problem.” Vilkas shrugs. “It could look a little … concerning … if we talk to both Gavin and the kobold.”

“They don’t know me or the other guy though!” Armstrong says cheerfully.

“Whatever you decide to do,” Sadie adds quietly, “be careful. I get the feeling we’re about to kick a hornet’s nest.”

The Curious Case of Gavin the Dead Farmer

Armstrong enters the tavern alone, leaving the rest of the party outside. She quickly finds Gavin towards the back of the tavern and heads to the bar before approaching him, drink in hand.

“Heeeeeey!” she says excitedly. Gavin jolts in his seat, eyes wide and looking like a deer caught in lamplights.

“Uh… H-hi!”

“You look like you need company!” Armstrong sets the drink down and widens her grin.

“W-what?”

“What have you been doing?”

“W-what?”

Armstrong’s grin starts to falter a bit. She circles around and puts her arm around him, trying her best to act sloshed. “I’m a family friend! You know? You and your wife! We went to school together?”

Gavin, to his credit, doesn’t pull away, mainly because he’s too frozen in place to do so. “W-what’s your name?” he asks.

“Samantha!” Armstrong raises the pitch of her voice and laughs.

Gavin stares at Armstrong for a long time. He tilts his head curiously to the side as he tries to place her. “Samantha… Samantha…” He swallows hard. “I think I recognize the name… Why… Why is Sarah sending you? She knows I’m okay.”

“She didn’t send me!” Armstrong pulls away long enough to look almost offended at the idea. “I was just in the area! It’s been so long since I’ve seen you! What have you been up to?”

“I… I’ve just been working.”

“Working what?” Armstrong then jumps up. “Ooh! Maybe we should have another round of drinks.”

Gavin holds up his hands pleadingly. “I think you’ve had enough!” he protests.

“Well…” Armstrong chuckles as she tries to come up with a response to that. “Well… Oh! How about this! You finish my drink and while you do that I’ll … let this one settle!”

Gavin looks up at Armstrong. Then back down at the drink. Then at Armstrong. “Well, can’t exactly get any worse,” he sighs. He takes the drink and takes a sip.

“Sorry!” Armstrong continues. “It’s just been so long since I’ve seen you! I got super worried since the papers said that a guy who looked just like you had died!” She gives Gavin a light punch on the arm. The farmer doesn’t react, instead slowly looking up at Armstrong with wide eyes.

“D-died?” he stammers.

“Yeah! I saw a guy who looked just like you in the papers! They said you had died so I went to go see Sarah to make sure you were okay!”

Gavin suddenly gets a far off look in his eyes. “Died…” he mutters. “I…”

Armstrong continues. “At the time, I thought she was just coping weird, but you’re alive! You’re really here!”

“I… don’t … know… I haven’t been home in a few months because of work…” That far off look doesn’t leave Gavin’s eyes, and … something’s wrong.

Armstong looks over Gavin and realizes that he is pale, too pale for most humans. She also realizes that there’s something off about him, something she didn’t notice when she originally saw him. However, she can’t place it. She waves her hand in an attempt to look drunk, but lets a detect magic spell gently pulse from it. The amount of magic coming from Gavin is immense. Oh… she thinks to herself. That’s interesting…

“How about we go outside!” Armstrong suggests, not losing her smile for a moment. “Your family’s super worried! We can go see them!”

Gavin quickly shakes his head. “No, I don’t think that’s a good idea. They can’t see me like this!”

“What’s wrong with you? You seem pretty normal!”

“I just… It’s a bad idea.”

“Why is it not a good idea?”

“I haven’t been home in months! I can’t just show up out of nowhere! My wife’s pregnant!”

“Well, we’re not going all the way out there!”

Gavin frowns. “You’re not with Harlow, are you?”

Crap!

“Harlow?!” Armstrong cries innocently. “Who’s Harlow! I don’t know a Harlow!”

Gavin stares at Armstrong for a long moment, his eyes narrowing and his face growing more suspicious. “You’re not with Harlow?”

“No!”

“Okay… Let’s go…”

Armstrong leads Gavin outside where the rest of the party is waiting…

And that is where we will leave off for Part 2! Part 3 should be coming very soon. Please bear with me while I try to find the right way to write these recaps. I’m trying to find a more efficient method so that they come out faster and they are easier to make. Until then, see you next time!